Airport unaffected by shutdown

The Herald-DispatchJanuary 10, 2019

HUNTINGTON — The Tri-State Airport has reported it is not experiencing adverse effects of the government shutdown as many airports across the nation are seeing employee call-offs as they work without pay.

Federal Transportation Security Administration employees have been working without pay during the shutdown and hundreds have reportedly called off from shifts at some of the country’s major airports, although Tri-State Airport has not seen this trend. TSA officers are expected to miss a paycheck this Friday if the government doesn’t reopen Thursday, Jan. 10.

Brent Brown, director of the Tri-State Airport, said the Air Traffic Control Tower and TSA checkpoints will continue to be staffed, but it is possible the airport may experience changes in staffing.

“It’s still too early to tell if that will cause any delays or longer screening times, so I would recommend that the flying public arrive at the airport early to avoid any possible delays,” Brown said.

The federal government has been shut down since Dec. 22 due to an impasse between President Donald Trump and lawmakers over funding for barriers along the southern border of the United States.